AB wants to thoroughly renovate the building in the Steenstraat. The Facilities Company is looking for a contractor on behalf of the Department of Culture, Youth & Media (DCJM) who can carry out the following works.

The current layout of the buildings in the Steenstraat has several limitations. A complete redistribution and layout of these buildings is intended to result in better integration with the functioning of this musical venue. Diversity, sustainability and accessibility play a crucial role here.

Historically, the entrance was located in the Steenstraat, where the house of the Meerslieden (retailers) was located in the 15th century. Today, the entrance to AB is in the Anspachlaan.

On the side where the Lollepotstraat is, there’s a blank wall and the Jo Coxplein serves as a logistical point of access (artist entrance, dressing rooms and backstage).

For the most part, the Steenstraat has a blind facade with evacuation doors on the ground floor and a loading bay for the Main Hall. The AB Café & Resto is located on the ground floor and first floor of this building. The restaurant has a limited floor area and is only accessible via stairs. The terrace lies on the manoeuvre-route to the truck loading bay.

The Department of Culture, Youth & Media wants this project to optimise the organisation of the narrow next door volume (Steenstraat 11), that houses the cafe-restaurant, AB Salon and offices.

The new layout will look like this: 

• Cafe +0 is to remain where it is, but be entirely integrated into the functioning of the Main Hall.
• A new double-height space is to house the AB Salon on +1 and +2
• On +3 there will be a building shell space for the fitting of a new professional kitchen (the kitchen itself is not a part of this assignment)
• On +4 the volume will be extended out onto the internal flat roof so that a large cafe/restaurant can be created
• On +5 there will be a new volume for the sanitary facilities and the preparation area for the vegetables from the new vegetable garden on the flat roof
• On +6 a roof terrace will be built, on the roof of the new volume
• On the outer side, there will be a new circulation route with a concrete outdoor staircase. This will be the eye-catcher of the building.

The assignment includes:

• Demolition works
• Exterior joinery (with curtain wall in the facade)
• Exterior stair in concrete
• Construction elements
• Interior finishing
• Electricity works
• HVAC
• Plumbing
• Fixed furniture
• Painting works

More info? You can find it HERE.